The UK will provide £2.5 million for immediate life-saving support to people in Afghanistan affected by the devastating earthquake this week, Foreign Secretary Liz Truss announced yesterday.
At least 1,000 people are reported to have been killed in the disaster in the southeast of the country on Wednesday 22 June and more than 1,400 others injured. These numbers are expected to increase as responders reach the hardest-hit areas.
A total of £2 million will go to the International Federation of the Red Cross (IFRC) to provide shelter, medication, water, sanitation, and other basic needs. The IFRC already has staff and volunteers working on the ground to respond to the crisis and help address the urgent humanitarian needs – including in Khost and Paktika, the 2 provinces most heavily impacted.
A further £500,000 will go to the Norwegian Refugee Council, who are already working on the ground, to provide shelter and cash assistance to those affected.
This support will come from the UK’s aid fund for Afghanistan, which is £286 million this financial year, one of the largest bilateral programmes. Last year the UK’s funding supported emergency health services, water, protection, shelter, food, and education through the UN Afghanistan Humanitarian Fund and World Food Programme.
International partners, including the United Nations and World Food Programme, are coordinating the global response and rapidly assessing the humanitarian needs. The UK is in direct contact with them to offer assistance and stands ready to consider any requests for aid or other help. UK aid was already delivering to the affected areas prior to the earthquake via the UN, NGOs and Red Cross.
Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said: “The recent earthquake is a tragedy for the people of Afghanistan. The scale of need was already severe before the earthquake struck, with more than half of the population requiring humanitarian assistance.
“UK support will enable lifesaving supplies to be provided on the ground. Our aid budget for Afghanistan is one of the UK’s largest bilateral programmes and we will continue to work urgently with our international partners to respond to the unfolding humanitarian crisis.”
The UK co-hosted a high-level international pledging summit with the UN in March 2022, to provide more vital funds. This helped the response to the UN’s appeal of nearly $4.5 billion for Afghanistan, their largest appeal on record for a single country, reflecting the magnitude of the humanitarian challenge that was already facing the country before the earthquake.
UK funding is channelled through UN partners and NGOs. No funding goes to or through the Taliban.
TORIES HAVE LITTLE TO CELEBRATE FOLLOWING BY-ELECTION HAMMERINGS
The UK Government will show its support for Scotland’s agriculture, food, drink and farming sectors when it takes part in the Royal Highland Show.
The four-day event, the first full show since 2019, gives the rural industries and members of the public the chance to speak to Ministers and staff from a range of government departments about what is important to them.
They will also be able to find out more about how the UK Government is delivering for people in Scotland.
Scottish Secretary Alister Jack and UK Government Minister for Scotland Malcolm Offord toured the Ingliston showground yesterday, and today will see UK Government Minister for Scotland Iain Stewart in attendance and Environment Secretary George Eustice is also due at the show.
Between them they’ll be meeting with a range of key stakeholders to discuss issues across agriculture, farming and Scotland’s world famous food and drink sectors, including gene editing technology, which farmers and bodies like the James Hutton Institute have been vocal in supporting.
Ministers will continue to urge the Scottish Government to join the UK Government in introducing legislation to cut red tape and support the development of innovative tech to grow more resistant, more nutritious and more productive crops – reducing the need for pesticides and lowering costs to farmers.
Scottish Secretary Alister Jack said: “It’s fantastic that the Royal Highland Show is back, bigger and better than ever. It’s Scotland’s biggest agriculture event and made even more special this year with it being the 200th anniversary.
“The UK Government will be making full use of this opportunity to meet with key players from the various sectors who make such a huge contribution to our everyday lives and Scotland’s economy.
“It’s vital that the UK and Scottish Governments work together – as well as with businesses – to ensure our rural economy can continue to grow. Gene editing is an area where we can collaborate – and where we can really make a difference as we seek to strengthen our food security, tackle climate change and bring down food prices.
“Gene editing is not genetic modification. It is using science to speed up what farmers have done for generations – breeding new strains of crops that are more disease and drought resistant. The industry in Scotland is clear – it does not want to be left behind.”
Attracting almost 190,000 visitors, Scotland’s biggest outdoor event provides an important platform for show-goers to find out how the UK Government is delivering for people in Scotland.
This year representatives in the UK Government marquee include the department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS), Border Force, Her Majesty’s Coastguard, HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC), the Department for Transport (DfT), the Department for International Trade (DIT), the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities (DLUHC) and the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).
The British Armed Forces will also be present.
The Scottish Secretary will also host a reception with the Scotch Whisky Association, showcasing the best of the UK’s biggest food and drink export.
It’s unlikely that the Scottish Secretary, a loyal supporter of PM Boris Johnson, will be particularly keen to discuss last night’s cataclysmic by-election defeats. Doubtless we can expect: ‘mid term election by elections are an opportunity to give the government a kicking … we will listen to the public … we will learn the lessons … get on with the job … etc. .. etc. … etc.
A meeting of the Scottish Government Resilience Room (SGoRR) has been told of the impact of UK-wide rail strikes on Scotland.
Deputy First Minister John Swinney was joined by Ministers including Transport Secretary Michael Matheson and Transport Minister Jenny Gilruth to hear of the latest situation.
The Transport Minister yesterday wrote to the UK Government calling for a swift resolution to the dispute.
Tuesday marked the first of three days of strike action this week, with more planned for Thursday and Saturday with the possibility of further action over the summer. Due to shift patterns the entire week is being disrupted, rather than just the three selected dates.
SGoRR has been up and running since this morning and will be in operation until Sunday evening to monitor impacts and oversee and co-ordinate the response from Ministers.
The meeting also heard about extra preparedness around major events such as the Royal Highland Show, freight mitigation plans from major retailers to keep supermarkets stocked as much as possible, and wider resilience plans.
Speaking after chairing the meeting, Mr Swinney said: “With a busy summer upon us, there needs to be more urgency from UK Ministers and the Department for Transport to get this situation fixed – and fast. The lack of action being taken by the UK Government is a dereliction of duty.
“We have had our own issues in Scotland but the difference between our approach and that of the UK Government could not be more stark. We have sought dialogue, compromise and agreement, whereas the UK Government has deliberately inflamed the situation causing misery for the travelling public.
“This afternoon’s meeting was an opportunity to hear from agencies and responders about the plans that are in place, and I am confident that the mitigations we can take are being taken, but we heard of the serious impact it is having on many areas and sectors of Scotland such as tourism, freight and major events.
“I am grateful to the travelling public for their considerable patience and for checking ahead, seeking alternatives, and working flexibly, where possible. Our resilience arrangements will remain in place for the rest of the week, however I am in no doubt that this situation can and should be addressed by the UK Government.
“The public have suffered enough and our major events organisers need to be able to look and plan ahead with certainty.”
New online tool will show how the take home pay of 30 million people will be boosted by July tax cut.
Workers across the UK will be able to go online, input their salary and see how much they could save thanks to the tax cut which comes in on 6th July.
New Financial Support and Benefits Checker Tool will also help people find the government support they’re eligible for.
The UK Government has launched a new online tool to show how the take home pay of 30 million ‘hard-working Brits’ will be boosted by the imminent £6 billion National Insurance tax cut.
With the historic tax cut just weeks away, the online checker will use salary information to give employees personalised estimates of how much they could save because of the government’s changes.
The cut, which will see the point at which people start paying National Insurance rise to £12,570, is worth up to £330 and seven in ten workers will pay less National Insurance even after accounting for the Health and Social Care Levy.
Rishi Sunak, Chancellor of the Exchequer said: “With our historic £6 billion National Insurance tax cut just weeks away, this new tool will show hard-working Brits how much more of their pay will be going directly into their pocket.
“This tax cut, combined with £400 off energy bills and direct payments of £1,200 to 8 million families, will help shield people from rising prices.”
Alongside this tool, the government has also launched a new Financial Support and Benefits Checker Tool. It enables people to answer 10 simple questions to find out what support they might be eligible for by cross-checking against 25 individual benefits and support offers.
This should help people find out what support they may be eligible for that they may currently not be accessing and is part of the government’s drive to help people manage the increased cost of living.
Both tools will be hosted on the government’s gov.uk Cost of Living page.
The new online tax tool will give personalised estimates for employees paid monthly through the PAYE system of how the tax cut, which comes into effect from 6 July, will boost take home pay. This will help people budget during this challenging time by seeing how much they will be saving in tax.
Everyone who pays National Insurance will see a tax cut, and the tool will show that employee earning up to £51,000 will see this cut more than offset the impact of the Health and Social Care Levy. This means the majority of working people will see a boost to their take home pay.
The tax cut is part of the biggest net cut to personal taxes in a quarter of a century, which was announced by the Chancellor earlier this year, and includes a cut to the basic rate of income tax of 1 percentage point from April 2024. This is the first cut to the basic rate of income tax in 16 years, benefiting 30 million taxpayers by £175 on average.
This tax cut comes on top of the £1,200 in direct payments the Government will provide for the most vulnerable people in the country and universal support worth £400 as a discount on energy bills from October.
This takes total Government support to £37 billion this year, helping tens of millions of people across the country from rising cost of living triggered by Putin’s illegal war in Ukraine.
Millions of people will be protected through strengthening regulation of interest-free Buy-Now Pay-Later credit agreements, under plans announced by the government today.
Lenders will be required to ensure loans are affordable and rules will be amended to ensure advertisements are fair, clear and not misleading.
UK Government will expand rules to cover other forms of unsecured short-term credit that pose similar risks to consumers, such as those used for dentistry work. Millions of people will be protected through strengthening regulation of interest-free Buy-Now Pay-Later credit agreements, under plans announced by the government today (20th June).
Buy-Now Pay-Later credit agreements can be a helpful way to manage your finances, allowing people to spread the full cost of a purchase over time. However, people do not currently have the usual full range of borrower protections when taking out this type of loan and they are rapidly increasing in popularity, resulting in a potential risk of harm to consumers.
Under plans set out by the government today it confirmed that lenders will be required to carry out affordability checks, ensuring loans are affordable for consumers, and will amend financial promotion rules to ensure Buy-Now Pay-Later advertisements are fair, clear, and not misleading. Lenders offering the product will need to be approved by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), and borrowers will also be able to take a complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS).
Economic Secretary to the Treasury, John Glen said: “Buy-Now Pay-Later can be a helpful way to manage your finances but we need to ensure that people can embrace new products and services with the appropriate protections in place.
“By holding Buy-Now Pay-Later to the high standards we expect of other loans and forms of credit, we are protecting consumers and fostering the safe growth of this innovative market in the UK.”
Today’s consultation response sets out the government’s proposals for regulation of the sector. Given its complexity, the government will publish a consultation on draft legislation toward the end of this year. Following this, the government aims to lay secondary legislation by mid-2023, after which the FCA will consult on its rules for the sector.
The government has also confirmed that other forms of short-term interest-free credit, such as those used to pay for dental work or larger items like furniture, will be required to comply with the same rules announced today, given the risks posed are similar and consumers should receive consistent protections from similar products.
These rules will apply to businesses who partner with a third-party lender to provide credit, and the government is asking for further stakeholder feedback to confirm whether they should also apply to online merchants who directly offer credit for the purchase of their own products.
Today’s announcement forms part of the government’s plan to grow the economy to tackle the cost of living. The Chancellor has provided £37 billion of support to help, including providing the eight million most vulnerable British families with at least £1,200 of direct payments this year – and giving every household right across the UK £400 to help with their energy bills.
More than eight million households across the whole of the UK will get a cash payment from July to ease cost of living pressures, Work and Pensions Secretary Thérèse Coffey set out detailed plans yesterday.
Millions will receive the first of two cost of living instalments totalling £650 from 14 July 2022, part of the £1,200 support package this year
Initial automatic instalment will be £326, with the rest to follow in a second instalment in the autumn
Comes as part of £37 billion government package to help families with cost of living pressures
The first instalment of the £650 for qualifying low income households in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland will land in bank accounts from 14 July 2022, continuing to the end of the month.
The move will see millions of households initially £326 better off as the government delivers significant interventions to support groups who are most vulnerable to rising costs. In total, millions of households will receive at least £1,200 from the government this year to help cover rising costs.
Work and Pensions Secretary, Thérèse Coffey said: “With millions of the lowest-income households soon seeing the first of two cash instalments land into their bank accounts, we are taking action to directly help families with the cost of living.
“This one-off payment totalling £650 is part of our £37 billion cost of living support package that will put an extra £1,200 into the pockets of those most in need.”
Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak added: “We have a responsibility to protect those who are paying the highest price for rising inflation, and we are stepping up to help.
“In July over 8 million people will get their first £326 payment to help with rising prices, as part of a package worth at least £1,200 for vulnerable families. I said we would stand by people when they needed help, and we are.”
The second instalment of £324 will be sent to qualifying low income households in the Autumn. The payments are designed to be deliberately slightly unequal to minimise fraud risks from those who may seek to exploit this system.
The eligibility date for the second instalment will be announced soon.
Low-income households are benefiting from government support in a variety of different ways this year as global inflationary pressures, exacerbated by the unjust war in Ukraine, have caused prices to rise for several essentials.
The government understands that many people are worried about the impact these rising prices will have on their household finances, which is why £37 billion of support is being provided to boost budgets and mitigate the worst of these pressures.
Support includes the direct payment of £650 for over 8 million households on benefits, a separate £300 payment for pensioners, and a £150 payment for disabled people, which can be paid on top of the £650 payment.
This is on top of £400 for all households to help with energy bills, and an extra £150 for properties in Council Tax bands A-D, meaning millions of the lowest-income households will receive at least £1,200 in support this year.
This is all in addition to changes to the Universal Credit taper rate and work allowances worth £1,000 a year on average for 1.7 million working claimants, a rise in the National Living Wage to £9.50 an hour, and a tax cut for around 30 million workers through a rise in National Insurance contribution thresholds.
The government has also expanded support for the Household Support Fund – which helps people with food and energy bills – with an extra £421 million, on top of £79 million for devolved nations; the total value of this support now stands at £1.5 billion. Fuel duty was also cut by 5p per litre for 12 months in March 2022, and alcohol duty has been frozen for 2022/23.
You can read more about the UK Government’s cost of living support and what is available here.
bill ‘ensures the delicate balance of the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement is protected in all its dimensions and provides robust safeguards for the EU single market‘
introduces durable solutions to fix the four key issues with the Protocol
legislation will remove unnecessary costs and paperwork for businesses
The government has introduced legislation to fix parts of the Northern Ireland Protocol – making the changes necessary to restore stability and ensure the delicate balance of the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement is protected.
The Northern Ireland Protocol Bill will allow the government to address the practical problems the Protocol has created in Northern Ireland in 4 key areas: burdensome customs processes, inflexible regulation, tax and spend discrepancies and democratic governance issues.
These problems include disruption and diversion of trade and significant costs and bureaucracy for business. They are undermining all 3 strands of the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement and have led to the collapse of the power-sharing arrangements at Stormont. The UK government is committed to seeing these institutions back up and running so that they can deliver for the people of Northern Ireland.
Following 18 months of discussions with the EU, the UK’s preference remains for a negotiated solution to fix these problems which are baked into the Protocol. But the EU must be willing to change the Protocol itself. Ministers believe that the serious situation in Northern Ireland means they cannot afford to delay.
Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said: “This Bill will uphold the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement and support political stability in Northern Ireland. It will end the untenable situation where people in Northern Ireland are treated differently to the rest of the United Kingdom, protect the supremacy of our courts and our territorial integrity.
“This is a reasonable, practical solution to the problems facing Northern Ireland. It will safeguard the EU Single Market and ensure there is no hard border on the island of Ireland.
“We are ready to deliver this through talks with the EU. But we can only make progress through negotiations if the EU are willing to change the Protocol itself – at the moment they aren’t. In the meantime the serious situation in Northern Ireland means we cannot afford to allow the situation to drift.
“As the government of the whole United Kingdom, it is our duty to take the necessary steps to preserve peace and stability.”
The legislation enables the government to bring forward durable solutions in each of the 4 key areas. The solutions are:
green and red channels to remove unnecessary costs and paperwork for businesses trading within the UK, while ensuring full checks are done for goods entering the EU
businesses to have the choice of placing goods on the market in Northern Ireland according to either UK or EU goods rules, to ensure that Northern Ireland consumers are not prevented from buying UK standard goods, including as UK and EU regulations diverge over time
ensure Northern Ireland can benefit from the same tax breaks and spending policies as the rest of the UK, including VAT cuts on energy-saving materials and Covid recovery loans
normalise governance arrangements so that disputes are resolved by independent arbitration and not by the European Court of Justice
These changes are designed to protect all 3 strands of the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement, including North-South cooperation, and support stability and power-sharing in Northern Ireland.
They will provide robust safeguards for the EU Single Market, underpinned by a Trusted Trader scheme and real-time data sharing to give the EU confidence that goods intended for Northern Ireland are not entering its market. The legislation also ensures goods moving between Great Britain and the EU are subject to EU checks and customs controls.
The UK’s proposals protect the elements of the Protocol that are working, such as the Common Travel Area. It also contains a provision for it to be replaced by a negotiated settlement, if one is agreed with the EU.
It is consistent with international law and further information on the government’s legal position has been published today.
The UK has engaged extensively with the EU to resolve the problems with the Northern Ireland Protocol over the past 18 months. In the recent intensive discussions between October and March, the negotiating team held more than 300 hours of official and ministerial discussions and spent hundreds more examining the EU’s non-papers in detail.
However, it has become clear the EU proposals don’t address the core problems created by the Protocol. They would be worse than the status quo, requiring more paperwork and checks than today. The EU have said they will not allow changes to the Protocol within its current negotiating mandate.
Scottish Ministers are calling on the UK Government to withdraw legislation aiming to abandon parts of the Northern Ireland Protocol negotiated with the European Union.
Following the publication of the legislation, External Affairs Secretary Angus Robertson has reiterated the danger that disregarding parts of the UK-EU Withdrawal Agreement could lead to a trade war when the UK is already close to recession and in the middle of a cost of living crisis.
Mr Robertson said: “It is extremely reckless and frustrating that the UK Government has decided to bring forward this legislation. The UK Government has deliberately set itself on an entirely avoidable collision course with the EU.
“Brexit is forecast to cause more harm to the economy than COVID, and this action by the UK Government could trigger significant additional damage to our economy when we are already facing the worst cost of living crisis seen for decades.
“Scotland has direct interests at stake in the Protocol, particularly in trade and border control, and yet the UK Government has shown no willingness to engage us on these issues. It is also directly impacting other Scottish interests, such as participation in the flagship Horizon Europe research programme.
“We have repeatedly called for the UK Government to step back from this confrontational approach and focus instead on dialogue with our European partners, who stand willing to work in partnership to find a negotiated solution. Those calls have also been ignored.
“We urge the UK Government to return to the negotiating table and withdraw this Bill. It is inconceivable to think that the Scottish Government would recommend legislative consent for a bill that would negatively impact Scotland’s economy, that could be deemed to break international law and could risk sparking a trade war with our fellow Europeans, which is in no one’s interests.”
The TUC and NIC-ICTU yesterday issued a joint statement to condemn the UK government’s “reckless” decision to unilaterally suspend its obligations under the Northern Ireland Protocol.
The union federations warn the decision will threaten the peace process in Northern Ireland and lead to a potentially damaging trade war.
Commenting on the new legislation, TUC General Secretary Frances O’Grady said: “It says everything about ministers’ warped priorities that in the middle of a cost-of-living emergency, they announce legislation that could provoke a trade war and cause prices to skyrocket further.
“Working people must not pay the price for this reckless move.
“The government must drop this bill, honour the agreement they signed up to and put practical solutions ahead of posturing.
“Ministers need to get back around the table with the EU as soon as possible and come to an agreement that protects jobs, rights and the Good Friday Agreement.
“The government must show that it respects international agreements to repair its now-trashed reputation as a trading partner.”
ICTU Assistant General Secretary Owen Reidy said: “We all accept that there are practical issues with the protocol that must be addressed in the interests of all of the people of Northern Ireland.
However, the only credible way to do this is for the UK government to start to engage with the EU in good faith, as opposed to taking unilateral action which makes an agreement on the implementation of any protocol more challenging and difficult.”
The full joint statement from the TUC and NIC-ICTU reads:
We are deeply concerned that the UK government has stated an intention to unilaterally suspend its obligations under the Northern Ireland Protocol.
Trade unions played a critical role in the development of the Good Friday Agreement – but the government’s actions now threaten peace.
It is essential that the Good Friday Agreement is protected.
This reckless action also risks provoking a trade war with the EU.
In the middle of cost-of-living crisis, it is appalling for the UK government to suggest it will take actions that could see prices skyrocket even further.
Working people must not pay the price of the government’s reckless actions.
UK ministers must honour the international agreement they signed and put practical solutions ahead of ideological posturing.
They need to get back around the table with the EU as soon as possible and come to an agreement that protects jobs, livelihoods and the Good Friday Agreement.
And they must act in good faith to repair the UK’s reputation as a trading partner.
Environment Minister Mairi McAllan has responded to the UK Government Genetic Technology (Precision Breeding) Bill in a letter to Mr George Eustice MP and Mr Alister Jack MP.
Thank you for your letter of 24 May to the First Minister and the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and Islands concerning the UK Government’s Genetic Technologies (Precision Breeding) Bill. I am responding as the relevant issues fall within my own portfolio responsibilities as Minister for Environment and Land Reform.
I should begin by expressing my disappointment at the timing of your letter regarding the Bill, with your invitation for Scotland to join in the legislation coming the day before the Bill was introduced in the UK Parliament. Despite repeated earlier requests from the Scottish Government and other Devolved Administrations, a draft of the Bill was provided only on the afternoon before it was introduced, after your letter inviting us to participate in the Bill had already been shared with the media. This is unacceptable.
My officials continue to scrutinise the details of this legislation. While the intended scope of the Bill may be England-only, the Bill documentation itself is clear that it will have significant impacts on areas devolved to the Scottish Parliament. I note in particular that the Impact Assessment for the Bill states that “whilst this legislative change will only take effect in England, the mutual recognition element of the United Kingdom Internal Market (UKIM) Act means that products entering the market in England would also be marketable in both Scotland and Wales.”
Such an outcome is unacceptable. The Scottish Government remains wholly opposed to the imposition of the Internal Market Act, and will not accept any constraint on the exercise of its devolved powers to set standards within devolved policy areas.
Now that the Bill has been introduced, I understand Defra officials have suggested they discuss the UK Government’s plans to diverge from the common UK-wide GM regulatory regimes, through various relevant Common Frameworks.
Any discussions of this nature should have taken place prior to the introduction of the Bill to enable consideration of potential policy divergence. The fact that they have not is deeply regrettable – and, again, unacceptable.
We have been clear that we do not presently intend to amend the GM regulatory regime in Scotland to remove categories of products which are currently regulated as GMOs
. The views of stakeholders in Scotland will be central to decision-making in this devolved area of responsibility (as is our pursuit of the highest environmental standards more generally) and this encompasses views and evidence from the scientific community, views from across the spectrum of industry interests and, crucially, the views of consumers and the public as a whole.
The use of genetic technologies is a complex and emotive area, and it is abundantly clear that there are issues that need to be addressed if their use in our food system is to have the confidence of the public in Scotland and across the UK as a whole.
As your Impact Assessment to the Bill acknowledges, the market for precision-bred products “ultimately depends on prevailing consumer attitudes to products which contain genetically engineered material”, and “the public’s acceptance of GE and similar products remains an area of uncertainty.”
Your own consultation last year rejected the changes to the regulation of GM that you are now pursuing.
Consumer information and choice is key.
I am therefore extremely concerned that the UK Government’s preferred option, as set out in the Bill documentation, will not require labelling of precision-bred products. Not only does this obstruct the enforcement of our devolved powers to regulate produce covered by the GM crops, animals and food and feed regimes in Scotland, but I am firmly of the view that the public have a right to know what they are consuming.
Furthermore, there are serious considerations around trade, including with our biggest trading partner the European Union. In Scotland, we will be taking careful note of the European Commission’s ongoing consideration of the issues involved, including the public consultation currently being conducted by the Commission.
As your Impact Assessment for the Genetic Technologies (Precision Breeding) Bill acknowledges, removing gene-edited products from England’s GM regulatory regime would mean divergence from the EU approach and as such could have implications for compliance costs and future trade.
The Impact Assessment also raises the prospect that new trade barriers could come in the form of checks and certification requirements on UK food exports entering the EU’s single market. It states that this would not only affect products exported to the EU which contain precision-bred plant material, but also those in the same product categories which do not.
The UK Government’s refusal to commit to dynamic alignment with the EU has already led to very significant trade impacts for Scottish businesses. I have written to UK Ministers on numerous occasions regarding the loss to the Scottish seed potato industry of the EU export market, and yet no progress has been made by the UK Government in re-establishing that trade.
I see no reason to create further regulatory divergence on the regulation of GMOs, when the European Commission is in the process of conducting its own consultation on the issues. That instead presents a clear opportunity for dialogue with our key partners to ensure a co-ordinated approach to GM regulation and avoid further unnecessary barriers to trade, and to properly identify and address stakeholder concerns.
If the UK Government is determined to press ahead with this legislation, it must take steps to ensure that its revisions to the definition of a GMO do not force products on Scotland which do not meet standards here without the consent of the Scottish Parliament.
We look forward to your full co-operation as we seek to uphold devolution in this regard.
I am copying this letter to my counterparts in Wales and Northern Ireland for their information.
Yours sincerely,
Mairi McAllan
Tory MSP Murdo Fraser said: “This is an incredibly stupid and short-sighted decision by the SNP Govt – not least because it potentially disrupts trading arrangements with our largest export market which is the UK.
“Bad news for Scottish farmers and food producers.”
Community groups across the UK can today (11 June 2022) bid for levelling up funding to take back control of pubs, music venues, sports facilities, and historic buildings for the benefit of the public.
Groups will be able to bid for a share of the government’s £150 million Community Ownership Fund to rescue cultural buildings in their area that could otherwise be lost forever, as the second round of funding is open.
The first round of funding has already helped local people transform their communities into a more desirable place to live, work and visit, supporting 39 projects across the UK. This included £550,000 to establish a boxing gym in Oldham, £250,000 to rescue a historic spinners mill in Leigh and £1 million for Bury fans to rescue Gigg Lane stadium.
Changes to the fund announced at the end of May will ensure it is more inclusive and flexible, so that more communities can benefit and more local economies are supported.
Minister for Levelling Up, the Union and Constitution, Neil O’Brien MP said: “We want to help communities across the UK save the pubs, sports clubs and historical buildings which matter most to them, and would otherwise be at risk of being lost forever.
“This is part of our plan to spread opportunity, boost local pride and level up every corner of the UK while growing the economy to address the cost of living.”
Backed by £550,000 of government funding, a historic Victorian building in Oldham has been transformed into a boxing gym and personal development centre which provides support for vulnerable young people.
Without this funding, the centre would have been forced to move and local young people would have missed out on the opportunity to flourish in their local community.
Eric Noi, head coach at Oldham Boxing and Personal Development Centre said: “The gym is already a major part of the community, and this funding will help us improve our facilities and allow us to continue supporting people of all ages, including some of the most vulnerable in society.
“For organisations such as ours, funding like this is a vital lifeline – without it we would not be able to help people improve their lives, fitness and futures.”
In Leigh, locals stepped up to take ownership of the historic Spinners Mill, which has been vacant for many years and was at risk of being lost to deterioration.
With £250,000 from the Fund, the building will now be restored and used to create new sports and leisure facilities alongside an area for creative arts whilst protecting wider access to the heritage-rich building.
Director of Leigh Building Preservation Trust, Peter Rowlinson, said: “Leigh Building Preservation Trust is delighted at the support from government to allow the further development of Leigh Spinners Mill.
“We believe this project is a true example of Levelling Up by being a community partnership restoring the heritage of the town of Leigh whilst also creating new jobs and community facilities.
“The restoration of Leigh Spinners Mill would not have been possible without the Community Ownership Fund assistance.”
The fund has been updated to widen eligibility criteria, including removing the requirement that assets have had a use within the last 5 years and will now consider any asset which has had a previous community use, massively expanding the projects eligible to apply.
Applicants who have a minimum of a 15-year lease on an asset would now also be considered for funding. Previously, leases were restricted to a minimum of 25 years.
Today’s announcement is part of the UK Government’s ambition to level up local communities across the country, create more local jobs, boost local businesses and build up local economies as a result.
The Prime Minister has announced 2.5 million tenants renting their homes from housing associations in England will be given the right to buy them outright.
Right to Buy scheme extended to housing association tenants, with government pledging to build a new social home for every one sold
Universal Credit reform will incentivise more hard-working people to save for a house deposit
Review of mortgage lending market will aim to turn more of ‘Generation Rent’ into ‘Generation Buy’
Two and a half million tenants renting their homes from housing associations will be given the right to buy them outright, the Prime Minister has announced.
In a speech today, he has confirmed an extension of the popular Right to Buy scheme, which has made home ownership a reality for two million households since the 1980s.
Currently, tenants in council homes are eligible to buy their homes at a discounted price, up to 70% off the market value dependent on how long they have lived there. However, the scheme is less generous for those in homes owned by housing associations.
Extending the scheme could benefit up to 2.5 million tenants who would gain the right to buy, freeing them up to become homeowners, and add value and make improvements to their home as they wish. The Government will work closely with the housing association sector on the design of the scheme.
Social housing will always play an important role in our society, so the Prime Minister will also commit to the building of replacement social homes for each one sold.
The Prime Minister said: “Just as no generation should be locked out of home ownership because of when they were born, so nobody should be barred from that same dream simply because of where they live now.
“For four decades it has been possible for council home tenants to use a discount to buy the property they live in. Over that time almost two million people have been helped into home ownership.
“They have switched identities and psychology, from being dependent on the state for every repair – from damp-proofing to a new front door – to being in charge of their own family home, able to make improvements and add value as they please.”
In order to turn more members of ‘Generation Rent’ into ‘Generation Buy’ the government will also launch an independent review of access to mortgage finance for first-time buyers, with the aim of making it easier for this group by widening access to low-cost, low-deposit finance such as 95% mortgages.
Currently, soaring house prices, stringent mortgage lending restrictions and high deposit requirements are hampering the ambition of many young people who want to own their own home. Over 50% of today’s renters could afford the monthly cost of a mortgage but various constraints mean only 6% could immediately access a typical first-time buyer mortgage.
This will be the first comprehensive review of the mortgage market for a decade, seeking bold and innovative steps that Government and industry can take to support more first-time buyers into home ownership.
As the Prime Minister set out: “We have a ludicrous situation whereby plenty of younger people could afford to make monthly mortgage payments – they’re earning enough to cover astronomical rent bills – but the ever-spiralling price of a house or flat has so inflated deposit requirements that saving even just 10 per cent is a wholly unrealistic proposition for them.
“First-time buyers are trying to hit a continually moving target.
“And of course the global rise in the cost of living is only making life harder for savers. So we want it to be easier to get a mortgage.
“Reporting back this Autumn [the review] will look at how we can give our nation of aspiring homeowners better access to low-deposit mortgages.”
The Prime Minister has also pledged to turn ‘benefits to bricks’ – changing welfare rules so that the 1.5 million people who are in work but also on housing benefit will be given the choice to use their benefit towards a mortgage, rather than automatically going directly to private landlords and housing associations.
The welfare system exists as a safety net to help the poorest people, but the government also wants to incentivise people to find work and take steps to better their lives.
So if a hard-working family saves a deposit to buy a home, the government will back them with the same housing support that they would have used on their rent, to pay towards their mortgage instead.
Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove MP said: Today we are extending the opportunity of homeownership to millions more hardworking people across the country.
“By extending Right to Buy and bringing forward the most comprehensive review of the mortgage market in decades, we are backing first-time buyers, breaking down barriers to homeownership and delivering on the people’s priorities.
“At the same time, we will continue to deliver much-needed new, good quality social homes by replacing each and every property sold.”
The government will also change the rules to incentivise those who are claiming Universal Credit to save for a deposit. Currently, welfare rules taper the amount of Universal Credit received when the claimant’s savings exceed £6,000, and it stops entirely when savings exceed £16,000.
We will commit to exempting Lifetime ISA savings from these rules – meaning hard-working people can save a little each month specifically for a deposit without impacting their Universal Credit payments, until they have enough for a deposit for a first home.
Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Thérèse Coffey said: “For too many people the aspiration to own their home has been taken away. By turning benefits to bricks, we are opening the door to home ownership for those on the lowest incomes.
“By removing barriers and allowing people on benefits to save into a Lifetime ISA, they will be incentivised to put aside a deposit to buy their home.
“And we are also giving people the choice to use their benefit towards their mortgage rather than on rent that pays a buy-to-let landlord.”
To support existing homeowners, the government will also improve support for mortgage interest (SMI) – a loan which helps claimants pay interest on their mortgages and stay in their homes if they lose their jobs.
Currently, this only kicks in after nine months of unemployment so the government will bring this forward to three months, to incentivise people to find work again and bring government into line with what lenders offer in these circumstances.
The Levelling Up Secretary will push forward our commitment to deliver 1 million new homes by the end of this parliament. Working with local communities to build the right homes in the right places, more publicly owned brownfield land will be used and small sites unlocked, with priority given to key workers and first time buyers.
The Prime Minister has today also reaffirmed his commitment to end the scourge of unfair leasehold terms to give leaseholders better control over their homes and lives. The government will drive forward leasehold reform, including the ability for a leaseholder to buy their freehold – helping 4.6 million households genuinely own their own home. This will include discounts of up to 90% for those trapped with egregious, escalating ground rents.
Extending right to buy will worsen rural affordable homes crisis, says CPRE
Commenting on plans to extend the right to buy scheme announced by the government, Tom Fyans, director of campaigns and policy at CPRE, the countryside charity, said: ‘Unfortunately, this is another example of a government rapidly losing touch with the realities of rural life.
“Extending right to buy will do nothing to address the rural affordable homes crisis because the problem is a lack of homes in the first place. There are 176,000 families in rural areas on social housing waiting lists. These are families that could be even further disadvantaged by housing associations being forced to sell their limited homes on the cheap.
‘The number one lesson of right to buy in a rural context is that it decimated rural social housing stocks. What low-income families need is hundreds of thousands more truly affordable homes to live in. Those living in the countryside are hampered by low wages and high house prices. That’s why the government needs to commit to building 145,000 social homes a year to fill the gap between supply and demand.
‘The demand for social housing is growing nearly six times faster than the rate of supply in rural areas. At current rates, the backlog of low-income families needing accommodation would take 121 years to clear. This is an utterly unsustainable situation and potentially selling off the few remaining housing association properties we do have will make a bad situation immeasurably worse.’
